A Never Ending Journey
by Nyodrite
Summary: The very first time Kakashi met Sakata Gintoki, his only thoughts were "That's my neighbor?" and "If Naruto gains an obsession with Strawberry Milk on top of Ramen, some one is going to die".
1. Prologue

**One Should Never Make An Execution Public- Who Knows Who Will Disagree With It?**

_**(Prologue)**_

* * *

"_Kakashi_!" Hatake Kakashi, recently turned fourteen, jolted at how _frantic_ Gai sounded- the last time he heard such was when the teen found out that his sensei was dying. "The Council-! They ordered the jinchūriki to be publicly executed!"

He froze.

_Jinchūriki- _Naruto_._

Then his mind was rushing at full speed, "Gai, I need you to get me enough soldier, food and hydro pills to last a month, maybe two- _don't go to the hospital to get them, don't buy them, don't leave a paper trail_. Put them in a bento then leave it at my father's grave then _forget that you ever came here_."

"Kakashi-!" Gai's eyes were wide at the implications.

He barked a sharp "There's no time!" that made the sixteen-going-on-seventeen year old swallow before nodding with a clenched jaw.

His hand were flying through hand signs even as he moved towards his equipment, "_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!" Two clones immediately darted off after arming themselves with storage scrolls as the third grabbed some money and calmly meandered out to provide an alibi via grocery shopping.

A few quick movements had everything he considered precious in his apartment sealed, Kakashi took one last look at the place that had been his _home_ since he was seven before darting off to where prisoners in line for execution were kept.

When Kakashi found Naruto, the soon-to-be-two year old was curled into himself and letting out soft, whimpering sobs that made him _ache_ because a child shouldn't _have_ to worry about being too loud to attract attention.

With a internal apology he lifted his head band before drawing the boy's attention, "Naruto." Blue eyes met his before, with almost disturbingly little chakra, falling shut as the boy went limp. He caught the boy easily, holding the child as he started a reverse summon, "_Gyaku Kuchiyose no Jutsu_!"

* * *

"Thank you Jiraiya, I don't know how I can repay you." Kakashi told the Sannin solemnly.

Jiraiya ruffled his hair, earning a scowl, "Just be sure to take care of yourself and the kid."

He nodded, readjusting the seven year old sleeping on his back before taking his first steps across the boarder of the Land of Iron.

* * *

**A/N:**I started watching Gintama...yeah...

AU/Crossover where the Land of Iron is Edo. Also, the last bit is after a time-skip so Naruto is seven while Kakashi is twenty-one.


	2. Moving In

**You Only Get One Chance At A First Impression- Try Not To Be Yourself.**

_**(Moving In)**_

* * *

"Kak_aaaaaaaassshhhhiiiiii_- are we there yet?" The seven year old whined petulantly, dragging his feet even as he was urged onwards by the hand hold his own.

The twenty-one year old glanced up from his crudely drawn map to look at the boy, "Maa, what an impatient little brat I have with me."

"Bakashi." The blond huffed, puffing out his cheeks.

Kakashi laughed softly, ruffling the irate boy's hair. "Why don't you see if you can find _Snack Otose_? We are right next door."

Naruto made a show of looking for the bar, which he had already spied further down the street they were on, before making an excited noise and pointing it out when he found it, "There- I found it!" Then the boy was off, dragging him towards their new home excitedly. "Come _on_, Kashi!"

"There's no need to hurry, it will still be there in the three minutes it will take to _walk_," He pointed out then, because he loved the reactions he got, added, "Naru-chan."

The boy turned red and stomped his foot with a glared, "Don't call me that! I'm not a little kid anymore, Bakashi!"

"Give me my money, you permanent perm!" a woman, with brown hair and wearing a black kimono, yelled.

A man, silver haired with a white-blue yukata worn over red-lined black shirt and pants, shouted back, "Leave my hair out of this- you don't know the pain from having a natural perm, you old hag! And I told you I don't have any money for your stupid rent!"

"Kashi! Look- you two have the same hair! Are you related!?" Naruto exclaimed, gaining the two's attention.

"No." Kakashi answered shortly. "And don't point, it's rude. Yo." He greeted with an acknowledging nod before turning towards their new home- it was squat for a two story building, the paint was peeling and a few areas chipped but the windows were whole, the wood sturdy and not a shingle missing.

"Oi!" the man, apparently he had escaped the woman, called. "You moving in?"

Naruto nodded and he sighed internally- nearly five years living the life of a missing-nin and the boy _still_ talked to strangers. "Yup! Hirai-ojiisan says we can have it for, uh, 65,000 ryō!"

"_6-65,000_!" the man sputtered.

"That's _rent_ and 6,583 ryō a week." Kakashi corrected idly, opening the door to peer inside.

The first floor was wide open and barren for the most part. The floor was made of dark brown wood, the large window at the front allowed the entire room to be viewed from the street (which made him frown), lights hung from the ceiling with some missing their grey- and fraying- paper lanterns, there were stairs tucked to the right with a door- either a closet or small bathroom- under them and there was waist-high wall (doubling as a bar) that separated the kitchen from the room. It was like the place had once been a small restaurant before it had been abandoned.

A sniff revealed it be musty also.

Without looking he knew that Naruto was waving his arms excitedly, "Right! Kakashi-niisan saved Hirai-ojiisan from being killed during a- a _mugging_! Ojiisan was so grateful that he offered to rent the place out to Kashi when he found out that we had been living in a hotel! I'm a bit sad about that 'cuz living in a hotel was _awesome_- there was a pool and unlimited ramen and so many different people but Kashi wouldn't really let me near them since I'm not suppose to talk to stranger-" a gasp made him look to see the blond clap a hand over his mouth, aiming a wide-eyed look of, what Kakashi had dubbed, 'oh no' at the man.

"Maa, it's fine, brat, you would have spoken to him at some point since we're now neighbors." He said, ruffling the boy's hair. "Though it's rude that you haven't introduced yourself yet. I am Hatake Kakashi."

Naruto's bow was a bit wobbly, "U-Uzumaki Naruto- _dattebayo_!"

"Sakata Gintoki." The man stated, lazily offering a wave in place of a bow.

Then the woman was back, gripping Sakata-san with enough strength to lift the man off the ground, "If you have time to chat you have time to work- GO GET ME MY MONEY!"

Kakashi quietly led Naruto into their new home as the argument started again.

* * *

**A/N:**A bit longer but...not much.


End file.
